Ben Sidran is familiar to many NPR listeners as the longtime host of “Jazz Alive” and “Sidran on Record.” He’s a free-spirited pianist and author who’s been dubbed “the first existentialist jazz rapper.”

Leo is a musician and producer whose credits include the Academy Award-winning song “Al Otro Lado Del Rio,” from the 2004 film The Motorcycle Diaries.

He’s also the host of The Third Story, a podcast series of unguarded conversations with musicians and other creative artists.

“It’s a perfect match,” says Ben. “WBGO is the flagship jazz station in the world, and Newport is the flagship festival. We’re so excited to be here, together.”

Of particular interest to the Sidrans was the festival’s embrace of new and emerging talent, such as twelve-year-old pianist Joey Alexander and the Brooklyn-based band Snarky Puppy.

"What I really love about the feeling this year is that there’s so much talk about the future,” says Leo.

Leo and Ben Sidran will be WBGO's special correspondents at the 2015 Newport Jazz Festival July 31 to August 2. Follow their adventures at WBGO.ORG/SIDRAN. You can hear more of Leo's interviews with musicians on his podcast, The Third Story.

December 10, 2013. Posted by Tim Wilkins.

We say goodbye to our friend Jim Hall, who passed away in his sleep Dec. 10, one week in to his 84th year in music.

Jim was revered by fellow guitarists, and rightly so. He was a gentleman's gentleman, too.

We were fortunate to enjoy many moments with Jim over the years, and would like to share some with you now.

In 2004, Jim shared some wonderful stories with WBGO's Sheila Anderson on the occasion of his being honored as an NEA Jazz Master, the nation's highest honor for a jazz musician.

We were with him at the Newport Jazz Festival this August, where we broadcast his heartbreakingly beautiful guitar duet with Julian Lage, as well as Steve Colley on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. This is one of Jim's last recorded performances.